The day she learned Benjamin had been in a car accident, Laura rushed to the hospital to donate blood for him.

When she reached his room, she found Benjamin—who was supposed to be unconscious—locked in a passionate kiss with his widowed sister-in-law.

"Jessica," he murmured against her lips, his voice thick. "I've waited ten years. I *will* make you mine, openly and without shame."

Laura stood frozen in the doorway, staring in disbelief. The man in the hospital bed showed no sign of injury. A string of prayer beads slid through his fingers, a stark contrast to the scene before her.

Beside the bed, Jessica stood with flushed cheeks, her lips swollen and glistening.

"Let her come in," Benjamin said, his voice low. "I'll tell her I've lost my memory. That you were the one who cared for me, that I owe you. I'll take care of you both. I'll make sure you're both provided for."

Jessica nodded, her blush deepening.

From the hallway, Laura felt as if she'd been plunged into an icy lake. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Benjamin—the man everyone saw as an ascetic, serene, with brows like ink strokes and eyes like deep pools, seemingly untouched by worldly desire.

This man had been harboring such a filthy secret for his own brother's wife.

All of it—his devotion to Buddhist practice, his renunciation, his strict discipline, even his marriage to *her*—had been nothing but a smokescreen to hide his forbidden longing.

Inside the room, the two were leaning in for another kiss when the door swung open. Silence fell.

Benjamin's face instantly smoothed into its usual detached mask. Jessica, however, still wore a telltale flush as she stood coyly by the bedside.

"Oh, it's my sister-in-law," Jessica said sweetly. "Benjamin, this is your wife."

Hearing the word "wife," the man in the bed frowned deeply.

"My apologies," he said, his voice cold. "I was under the impression that Jessica was my wife."

Jessica chimed in with a practiced, gentle smile. "Laura, the doctor said the accident caused a head injury. Benjamin has temporary amnesia. He woke up and saw I was the one taking care of him, so he... misunderstood."

Laura listened, feeling as if something sharp had just pierced her chest, stealing her breath.

How very *thorough* of him. Arranging an "accident" and a convenient bout of amnesia, just to erase a decade of marriage and give the woman he'd truly loved all along a legitimate place by his side.

The man in the bed spoke again, his tone icy.

"Miss Laura. I'm told you've been my wife for many years. I understand I have a duty to you. But Jessica cared for me in my time of need. I owe her a debt."

Benjamin's eyes, usually devoid of feeling, were now fixed on Jessica with an unmistakable, melting tenderness.

"You may be my legal wife, but I must also honor my commitment to Jessica. After I'm discharged, she will live with us."

Of course. Jessica's sweet nothings were a "debt" to be honored.

Her own blood, drained to save his life while she remained in the dark, was not.

Hearing his words, Laura's eyes burned. Still, she smiled and gave a slow nod.

Benjamin had braced himself for refusal, for a scene, for hysterics. Instead, her voice came out quiet, almost serene. "As you wish."

She would clear the space for Jessica.

And she would never, ever see Benjamin again.

He looked taken aback, opening his mouth to say more, but Laura was already turning, fleeing the room. In the sterile hallway, she sank to her knees as a wave of agony crashed over her. Tears welled up, hot and unstoppable, spilling between her fingers.

She had loved Benjamin for fifteen years.

Since the first flutterings of her teenage heart, she had been captivated by his cool, restrained presence.

He had been the distant, perfect light of her youth—an untouchable deity enshrined in her heart.

She could still remember the dizzying joy of the day he'd proposed.

"Benjamin," she'd declared, beaming. "I'm going to make you the happiest man in the world!"

For ten years of marriage, they had been respectful, cordial.

There was none of the passionate love she'd imagined, only the quiet routine of husband and wife.

Whenever disappointment crept in, she'd console herself: it was just his nature.

He wore simple robes, immersed in prayer and scripture. She never dared to drag him into the messy, emotional world for her sake.

Only now did she understand. Benjamin wasn't immune to love's turmoil. It was simply that the goddess in his heart had never been her.

Once the storm of tears had passed, Laura wiped her face, took a steadying breath, and dialed a number.

Her mother's gentle voice came through the line. "Laura, sweetheart, we heard about Benjamin's accident. Don't panic, okay? Whatever you need, just tell your father and me."

"No, Mom," Laura said, her voice tight but firm as she fought back another wave of emotion. "It's not that. Once I've taken care of some things here, I'm coming with you. Abroad."

Silence stretched on the other end for a moment. Then, her mother's voice, laced with worry. "Laura? What's happened?"

Laura let out a soft, strangely liberating laugh. "It's nothing, really. It's just... Benjamin wants to set up a separate household with another woman. And I don't agree."

Laura walked out of the hospital and immediately began handling the necessary arrangements.

She hired a lawyer and started gathering evidence of Benjamin’s affair with his sister-in-law.

If she couldn’t have his love, she’d damn well take his money.

Love—what a hollow word. Over the past ten years, Laura had lost everything.

Once, she had been the vibrant, dazzling Laura. From a prominent family, with striking looks, she’d been pursued by nearly every eligible young man in their circle.

But after marrying Benjamin, she’d dimmed her own light, discarding her very self.

Benjamin preferred a vegetarian diet and avoided alcohol.

So Laura honed her cooking skills, preparing every dish for him by hand, and never touched a drop of liquor herself.

Benjamin favored quiet intimacy and detested noise.

So Laura cut ties with her friends, packed away her red dresses, and wore only muted colors, season after season.

The irony was almost laughable now. All his talk of shunning worldly drama had just been a cover for the scandal he was already wrapped up in.

“Laura,” she whispered to herself, “you were such a fool.”

After completing the initial paperwork, Laura returned to the hospital. As she approached Benjamin’s room, voices drifted into the hallway.

“Benjamin,” a woman’s voice murmured, “do you think your wife will be angry if she finds out the blood she donated was for me? She looked so pale afterwards.”

“You’re frail, and your blood types matched. It made sense. Besides, I only had the doctor mention it to you to help replenish your own blood.”

Hearing the conversation from outside the door, Laura felt a wave of dizziness. Peering through the window, she saw them kissing—and quickly pulled out her phone to record it.

“Benjamin,” she thought, her stomach twisting, “I truly underestimated you.”

So she was just a mobile blood bank to them?

Laura opened the door and stood quietly, watching.

Seeing her calm expression, Benjamin spoke with a hint of panic. “Ms. Laura… Laura. There was some blood left in the bag. Jessica stayed up all night taking care of me and wasn’t feeling well, so I had the doctor give her a transfusion.”

Laura couldn’t hold back a soft, derisive snort.

The excuses Benjamin had made for Jessica over the past two days outnumbered all the words he’d spoken to her in a week.

Tears welling in her eyes, Jessica suddenly yanked hard on her IV line, causing her own blood to flow back into the tube. “If your wife isn’t willing, I won’t take it. Benjamin’s just recovered from a major illness. Please don’t fight over me.”

A storm cloud passed over Benjamin’s features. He called for the doctor, the air around him crackling with menace.

The doctor came and swiftly tended to Jessica’s hand. As he turned to leave, Benjamin stopped him.

“Jessica has lost more blood. Please take Ms. Laura to donate another 800cc.”

Hearing this, the doctor paused, replying hesitantly, “Ms. Laura is already somewhat anemic. She donated 1000cc after Mr. Benjamin’s… accident. Donating more could be very hard on her system.”

Benjamin hesitated, about to speak, when Jessica suddenly let out a pained moan from the bed.

“Benjamin, my head is spinning. You know what your brother put me through when he was alive. You looked the other way then, but now I’ve lost so much blood… I feel like I’m going to faint.”

Filled with pity, Benjamin drew Jessica into his arms and gently stroked her hair. “Jessica needs blood now. Ms. Laura, you should take responsibility for this.”

Jessica’s rosy complexion and terrible acting were so absurd Laura nearly laughed out loud. Faced with Benjamin’s accusation, she found it utterly ridiculous—yet an involuntary pang shot through her heart.

“Blood donation requires my consent, doesn’t it? Or does Mr. Benjamin intend to force me?”

Benjamin’s expression turned cold. He hated defiance. In his memory, Laura had always been docile and obedient.

Even though he’d only wanted a wife to conceal the secret in his heart, his standards for that wife had been exacting.

He liked women who adored him, so he’d chosen Laura, whose family background and looks were a perfect match.

He hated the appreciative glances other men gave Laura, so he told her he disliked red dresses. From then on, she wore only plain colors.

He hated Laura interacting with others, so he told her he disliked outsiders disturbing them. From then on, she spent most of her time at home, washing his clothes and cooking his meals.

Now, hearing her defiance, his anger flared.

“In my family’s hospital, I do as I please. You are both my… responsibility.” He almost said ‘my women.’ “I have to be fair. Jessica suffered because of you. You will make it right.”

Benjamin’s words chilled Laura’s heart to ice. She tried to run, but the arriving doctor and nurses held her down.

The needle plunged mercilessly into her vein, and her lifeblood flowed out.

When it was removed, Laura’s face and lips were devoid of all color. She lost consciousness and collapsed to the floor.

The last shred of feeling she held for Benjamin drained away with that bag of blood.

Laura woke in a hospital bed, opening her eyes to Benjamin’s cold, stern face.

“You’re awake? You and Jessica were both at fault here. A minor domestic dispute. I’ve mostly recovered. I’ll take you to the auction, get you a gift.”

Laura’s head still spun, heavy and dizzy from blood loss. Before she could react, Benjamin had already scooped her up and deposited her into the car.

Jessica slid in after them, her expression faintly dissatisfied.

At the exhibition hall, Benjamin called his assistant to arrange a change of clothes. None of the gowns presented to Laura fit. In the end, she chose a sleek red evening dress—simple, without elaborate designs or diamond embellishments, yet it accentuated her fair skin with a unique, understated elegance.

Benjamin hated when she wore bright, eye-catching colors, but he’d also forgotten her size. So why wear ill-fitting clothes for someone who no longer mattered?

Once changed, Laura emerged just in time to see Jessica clinging affectionately to Benjamin’s arm—a picture-perfect couple.

"All of these were custom-made for you, Jessica," he said. "This is your first event like this with me. I’ll make sure all eyes are on you."

Jessica wore a handcrafted, midnight-blue gown studded with shimmering gemstones, instantly drawing every gaze in the room. Benjamin moved through the crowd with her, chatting and laughing with the social elite, his wife completely forgotten.

Watching their retreating backs, a wave of bleak despair washed over Laura. Already weakened from blood loss, every step required immense effort just to keep upright.

The auction began. For any lot that held Jessica’s gaze a moment too long, Benjamin immediately raised his paddle.

"Jessica, I’ll buy you anything you like," he announced. "Consider it an engagement present—to make up for not giving you a proper wedding."

Jessica looked genuinely moved. "Benjamin, just being with you is enough."

Even Laura, her heart long turned to ash, felt a wave of nausea at the sight.

This was the man she’d been married to for a decade. The man she’d loved for over ten years.

She shook her head. Benjamin hadn’t brought her here for compensation. He’d brought her to announce to the world that he intended to keep both women.

The aloof gentleman had shown his true colors—vulgar through and through.

"Wow, Benjamin's been sweeping the auction floor for her," someone murmured. "Nothing compares to the lady on his arm, does it?"

Whispers filled the room. Jessica’s cheeks flushed a coy pink at the comments, and Benjamin leaned in to tease her softly.

During the intermission, old family friends and gathered socialites toasted Jessica, their flattery a public slap in the face to the real Mrs. Benjamin.

Laura retreated from the noise. She hadn’t eaten since the hospital, and after having blood drawn far beyond her limit, she was desperate. All she wanted was to find the dessert display, to get some food and replenish her energy.

Noticing this, Jessica extricated herself from her circle and drifted toward the pastry table.

"Hungry, dear?" she asked sweetly. "One doesn't usually graze at events like this."

Laura ignored the deliberate provocation and tried to move away, but Jessica suddenly seized her wrist in a vice-like grip.

*Crash—* The plate in Laura’s hands hit the floor. Every eye in the room snapped toward them.

Tears welled in Jessica’s eyes, a picture of wounded innocence, while Benjamin frowned, his displeasure fixed on the shattered plate as he strode over.

"Benjamin, I was just trying to check on her, and she—"

He shot Laura a dark look, then suddenly increased the pressure on her shoulder—a silent warning not to make trouble.

But Laura, already struggling to stand, couldn’t brace against the sudden force. She stumbled backward.

She fell hard, her body crashing into the champagne and dessert display behind her. Bottles toppled, liquor splashed, pastries scattered, and Laura went down amidst the chaos. The red silk of her gown tore from the brutal friction against the floor.

Worst of all, shards from a broken bottle sliced into her exposed skin. Blood mingled with spilled alcohol and debris—a picture of utter wretchedness.

Benjamin had pulled Jessica clear the moment the display began to fall. Now, he was murmuring soft comforts to his ‘frightened’ lover.

All eyes were on Laura, disgraced and sprawled on the floor. Their gazes held mockery, disdain, and a flicker of concern. The whispers erupted.

"Domestic troubles for the Benjamins, it seems."

"She's still from a good family. How did she end up such a pathetic mess?"

"Oh my god—she's bleeding so much. Is she going to die?"